Regional Groups

Scotland

Contact: Professor Michele Burman, University of Glasgow, at Michele.Burman@glasgow.ac.uk

Scotland map

The Scotland Branch membership consists of staff and postgraduate students from several Scottish Universities and those working in criminal justice policy and practice in national and local government, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector. The Branch has strong links with the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR), both of which are collaborative partnerships between several Scottish Universities.

University of Aberdeen
Abertay University
University of Dundee
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh Napier University
University of Glasgow
Glasgow Caledonian University
Heriot-Watt University
University of the Highlands and Islands
Queen Margaret University
Robert Gordon University
University of St Andrews
University of Stirling
University of Strathclyde
University of West Scotland

– also see Regional Events

Wales
Contact: Professor Martina Feilzer, Bangor University (m.feilzer@bangor.ac.uk) and Michael Levi, Cardiff University (Levi@cardiff.ac.uk).

walesmap

The Wales branch was launched at the end of 2007 (but was previously part of the Wales and West group).The main activity of the branch is a programme of seminars showcasing the most relevant and exciting research in criminology and criminal justice.

A range of speakers have presented at these seminars – ranging from local PhD students to established and eminent academics from in and outside Wales, such as Professor Rod Morgan, former Chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, and Professor Pat Carlen, Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Criminology. More recently, Professor Steve Tombs discussed the aftermath and consequences of the Grenfell Tower tragedy at the University of South Wales and, at Bangor, Nicola Harding from Leeds Trinity University presented ‘You know what I mean…’ an auto-ethnographic account of co-produced research with criminalised women.

The audiences normally consist of academics, postgraduate students and some practitioners, such as local police officers and YOT staff. One of the aims in recent years has been to hold seminars at more Welsh universities and, pleasingly, the University of South Wales, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport and Bangor have hosted seminars.

Aberystwyth University
Bangor University
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Cardiff University
Glyndŵr University
The Open University in Wales
Swansea University
University of South Wales
University of Wales
University of Wales Trinity Saint David

– also see Regional Events

Northern Ireland

Contact Shadd Maruna S.Maruna@qub.ac.uk

NIrelandimap

The Branch membership consists of members from both the Law School and the Department of Sociology at Queen’s, as well as criminology and criminal justice academics at the University of Ulster. Branch activities also regularly attract practitioners from a wide array of statutory agencies and community groups from across Northern Ireland.  The Branch also has very strong links to the annual Irish Criminology Conference.

Open University in Ireland
Queen’s University Belfast
Ulster University

– also see Regional Events

North East

For more information on the North East branch contact Dr Clare Wiper, Northumbria University:  clare2.wiper@northumbria.ac.uk

NorthEast map

Durham University
Newcastle University
Northumbria University
University of Sunderland
Teesside University

– also see Regional Events

North West

For more information on the North West branch contact Steve Wakeman S.J.Wakeman@ljmu.ac.uk

North West map

The North West Branch of the BSC provides funding for a series of seminars across the region. In 2016 two successful events were held at Liverpool Hope University and Salford University (see archive).

Blackburn College
Lancaster University
Liverpool Hope University
Liverpool John Moores University
Manchester Metropolitan University
The University of Manchester
The University of Central Lancashire
University of Liverpool
University of Salford
Edge Hill University
University of Chester
University of Bolton
University of Cumbria

– also see Regional Events

South West

Contact:  Chair Dr Zoë James, Plymouth University, at Z.James@plymouth.ac.uk or Branch Secretary Dr Iain Channing iain.channing@plymouth.ac.uk

South east map

The South West branch was launched at the University of Plymouth Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies Symposium, ‘The Criminological Enterprise: Maximising Impact’, in 2009. The aim of the South West branch is to provide a forum for academics, students and practitioners to engage with criminological issues through a regular seminar series.

University of Bristol
University of Exeter
University of Bath
Bath Spa University
University of the West of England
University of Plymouth

– also see Regional Events

Regional Events


Events are typically scheduled from September to the beginning of July each year. During the current period of concern about CoVid-19, we are only scheduling online events. Watch the bulletin for details

Recent Events

Scotland Branch



Wales Branch

‘Public Criminology Through Public Education’

March 29, 2021 – This was recorded and is available via YouTube

This interdisciplinary event brought together academics from Criminology, Arts & Humanities, Education, and practitioners from the Criminal Justice System to share innovation in learning and teaching. The event was joint-funded by the British Society of Criminology Learning and Teaching Network and the Welsh Branch of the British Society of Criminology, and hosted by Swansea University’s Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law.

YouTube link to whole event

Links for the presentations:

Future events to be announced.

Northern Ireland Branch



North East Branch

BSC North East Region and Northumbria University event – 19 June 2024
“Space Matters: Innovations and Challenges in the Use of Space when Managing Offenders with Multiple and Complex Needs” – 19 June 2024, 9.30am-4.30pm at Northumbria University.
Northumbria University and the BSC North East Regional group are delighted to invite you to this exciting event aimed at academics and professionals working in criminal justice. The event is organised by the Offenders with Multiple and Complex Needs research cluster at Northumbria University.
Managing offenders with multiple and complex needs presents an array of challenges within criminal justice settings. In a context of severe overcrowding and a significant reduction in available space, professionals have began identifying specific issues that must be urgently addressed, and innovative measures are beginning to emergence in response to this crisis.
This event will explore examples of innovation, and encourage academics and professionals to share knowledge and ideas that might help inform future developments.
To book your free place, please contact: lily2.edwards@northumbria.ac.uk. For any queries, please contact: louise.ridley@northumbria.ac.uk.
 
Yorkshire and Humberside Branch

Social Justice Research: Making Change Happen? – Sheffield Hallam University – Weds 8th March 2023 

The theme of this one day workshop will focus broadly on social justice and criminal justice research and academic work with practitioners, external organisations and partners. We are keen for speakers to reflect upon constructive collaboration as well as the various challenges that researchers working with practitioners or external organisations to make change happen, for example, putting theory into practice, conflicting ideologies and outcomes, or positionality or personal ethics. 

If you are interested in speaking at this event about your research or your collaboration then please send a 150-200 word abstract to Helen Johnston H.Johnston@hull.ac.uk by Monday 13th February 2023. Papers will be approximately 15-20 mins.

We welcome submissions from all researchers and aim to create a positive and inviting forum for discussion so please do encourage doctoral researchers and early career researchers to submit a paper or just to come along and join the discussion.

 

‘Emotionally Challenging Research’ event  held at the Leeds Trinity University campus in Horsforth, Leeds on Monday 21 November 2022.

Keynote lecture given by Professor Sharon Grace (University of York) on ‘Hearing the voices of women involved in drugs and crime’.

The aim is to hold three face-to-face events across this academic year, in July 2023 the Regional chair Helen Johnston will be stepping down and will be keen to hear from people who might be interested in taking up this role as chair or anyone who would like to join her to collaborate in the short-term. Contact H.Johnston@hull.ac.u

North West branch


Midlands branch

The BSC Midlands Region, in collaboration with the University of Derby’s College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, will be running a seminar on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at 2pm in room 201 Friargate Squate, University of Derby. There are three really interesting speakers from both Derby and Nottingham University.

Refreshments will be provided on arrival and at the end of the afternoon and we hope that you will stay and join us afterwards for further discussions in an informal social atmosphere. It will provide a good chance for colleagues to get together.

If you would like further information or would like to register your attendance please click here.

BSC Midlands Regional group with University of Wolverhampton: Reimagining Probation and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Conference. 18 January 2023, 9am-6pm; University of Wolverhampton, City Campus.

This conference invites academics and practitioners to discuss their experiences, examinations, or expectations of the renationalisation of the Probation Service in England and Wales and further appraise what path the new model imagines for probation and the rehabilitation of offenders. In addition, the conference is interested in other developments in the area that may have accompanied renationalisation, such as OMiC, IOM (Refresh) and others and their impact on the culture and practice of probation and associated services. The conference also appreciates how the renationalisation era has come after the challenging part-privatised state of the Probation Service which has been heavily criticised by academics, practitioners, and service users alike. As such, it also invites discussion of the aftermath of part-privatisation of the service in relation to the state in which renationalisation has found probation services, and, crucially, the continuing impact of the Transforming Rehabilitation policy. Finally, the conference is interested in comparative approaches as well as experience or research on probation from other jurisdictions which may demonstrate developments in working with offenders and new rehabilitation policies outside England and Wales too.

COVID & Imprisonment: BSC & CJRC Event. 24 February 2022.

BSC Midlands Branch & Criminal Justice Research Centre, University of Nottingham

Speakers:

• Professor Lynn Saunders OBE = Prison leadership during COVID.

• Dr Olga Suhomlinova = Transgender and non-binary prisoners and COVID.

• Steve Bravery = COVID prison risk assessment, risk reduction, and remote reviews during COVID.

• Paula Harriott & PPN = Covid-19 Action Prisons Project: Tracking Innovation, Valuing Experience.

• Oscar O’Mara = A prison ethnography PhD during COVID.

Author Meets Critic: ‘Complex Inequalities and Innovative Solutions.’ University of Derby on 6 July 2022  

The speakers and critics for this event were: 

• Valeria Abreu, University of Derby, UK – Changing Patterns of Domestic Homicide in light of Covid-19 in England and Wales. 

• Thomas Guiney, University of Nottingham, UK – Parole, Parole Boards and the institutional Dilemmas of Contemporary Prison Release. 

• Andrew Henley, University of Nottingham, UK –   When ‘Ideal Victim’ meets ‘Criminalised Other’: Criminal Records and the Denial of the Victim. 

• David Patton, University of Derby, UK – Motivations for Change in Drug Recovery: Turning Points as the Antidotes to the Pains of Recovery. 


Desistance and Rehabilitation: International Perspectives 

Online Conference – Hosted by the University of Derby. 7 December 2021. – watch again

Southern branch

BSC Southern branch (Co-organised with the Mannheim Centre)

Prisoner Re-Entry and Neoliberalism. 26 January 2022. Alessandro De Giorgi (San Jose State University, California).

Constraints and opportunities in transnational drug markets: A social network analysis of cocaine and heroin supply to Europe. 23 February 2022. Giulia Berlusconi (Surrey University).

Policing the ‘savage horde’: Settler masculinities and racist violence in the U.S. Mexico borderlands. 11 May 2022. Margarita Aragon (Birkbeck, University of London).

Forensic Psychologists: Prisons, Power, and Vulnerability. 25 May 2022. Jason Warr (De Montfort University).

 

Orderly Britain: How we solve our everyday problems from dog fouling to double parking. 8 June 2022. Tim Newburn (LSE).

 

South Coastal (in association with the Institute of Criminal Justice Research, University of Southampton)


South West branch

BSC South West Region & University of Plymouth event – 17 June 2024

Crisis Reform Repeat? Evaluating change in Criminal Justice – University of Plymouth

Plenary Speaker: Dr Travis Linnemann (Kansas State University) The Police at the End of the World

This is a world where nothing is solved. Someone once told me, ‘Time is a flat circle.’ Everything we’ve ever done or will do, we’re gonna do over and over and over again. Thus spoke Rust Cohle (True Detective, 2014)

Rust Cohle’s pessimistic view of the world draws upon Nietzsche’s doctrine of eternal recurrence – but are things really this bleak? This conference provides a forum for discussion on the nature of reform across all elements of the criminal justice system and beyond. Reform is often fuelled by an event or crisis, but to what extent are reforms successful? Do they bring about needed change? Or are we doomed to keep repeating the mistakes of the past regardless?

The BSC SW network and CHEx invite proposals for papers that engage with responses to crisis that relate to crime, justice, harm, or control in its many forms. Papers can be international in scope, contemporary or historical, focus on public or private agencies, celebrate successful reform or critique its failure.

To submit a paper, please send a 200 word abstract to Iain Channing (iain.channing@plymouth.ac.uk) by Friday 3rd May. If you have any questions, please contact Iain in the first instance.